May 25, 2003
Vodafone Group has managed to become the global leader of the new mobile generation through introducing the GPRS technology and its applications to: the consumers through Vodafone live! pack of services and to the corporate segment through the corporate applications.
International awards and 1 Million subscribers around the world
Vodafone International won the top award of the International Association for Mobile Phone Companies (GSM Association ) for this year 2003 , which was the result of the great success that Vodafone live! pack of services has achieved world wide since its launch last October. The number of subscribers to Vodafone live! around the world from October 2002 till March 2003 reached 1Million , which reveals the success of this newly introduced service based on GPRS.
What is the GPRS technology?
GPRS is the latest technology in the field of telecommunications 2.5G , and represents the migration step from the previously used technology (GSM or 2G ) towards the 3rd generation (3G), through which data and files can be transmitted in very high speeds using sound, pictures, and colors.
Introducing the GPRS technology through Vodafone to the Egyptian market in April 2003 presents a breakthrough in the telecommunication industry and reflects the strength of Vodafone group and its capability of directing the market towards the latest technologies.
Main characteristics of this service are the following:
Speed
Maximum speed for file transfer through the GPRS is more than 45kilo bits per second which is five times the current speed of the GSM. GPRS stands for the General Packet Radio Service. With packet switched transmission, the data is first cut in to small parts called packages which are then sent in sequence to the receiver, which again builds the packages back together. This ensures that the same link resources can be shared at the same time by many different users and the link is used only when the user has something to send.
Immediacy
GPRS facilitates instant connections whereby information can be sent or received immediately as the need arises , subject to radio coverage. No dial-up modem connection is necessary. this is why GPRS users are sometimes referred to be as being ? always connected?. It is worth mentioning that GPRS technology demands an upgrade in the GSM network .This upgrade was applied in Egypt successfully and there fore GPRS service covers currently all Vodafone networks in Egypt.
New applications better applications
GPRS facilitates several new applications that have not previously been available over GSM networks due to the limitations in speed of Circuit Switched Data. Telecommunication companies started researches about the optimum usage of the GPRS technology until Vodafone pioneered by offering it through Vodafone live! pack of services ,October 2002 , to the Eurpean market. It was launched first in Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, UK, Sweden, and Greece . This package of services allows for transmission and reception of colored pictorial messages, MMS, accompanied by written and voice captions, internet mobile with all its applications, and interactive three dimensional games based on Java system. In addition, the system provides the feature of polyphonic ring tones that allows the user to load tones of a very high resemblance with actual musical sounds. Regarding transmission of pictorial messages MMS, Vodafone live! allows inter ? mobile transmission of pictures accompanied by voice and written captions or through internet via email as an attachment to the message. This service is widely used by all categories of mobile telephone users throughout the world, besides it also serves in many kinds of business that requires expedite decision making based on the transmission of pictorial data such as design sections, construction works, insurance, propaganda and advertisement, and others.
As for the "Mobile Internet", one of its most important advantages is that it saves time and efforts of masses of users, through which they can log into the internet and invoke required information and transmit data and files in extremely high speed, sending and receiving e-mails.
Vodafone offers latest advanced telecommunications application to its corporate segment through GPRS technology
The key to a successful organization is linked now to the efficiency in telecommunications and the speed of communicating information. Now businessmen need the freedom to travel and work outside the office while being connected with their network. Recent researches conducted by one the companies specialized in providing corporate solutions and applications through GPRS proved that 27% of the corporate e-mails require immediate reply, 40% of companies workforce is mobile, 60% of the senior management time is spent away from the desk, which leads to significant dead time per mobile employee per day.
There fore Vodafone Group has developed a full package of services based on GPRS technology to serve corporate needs and allow Real-time access to corporate mail (tasks, contacts, calendar, inbox ) with the following features:
* control of information access
* security and access to statistical information
*professional implementation and consultation
* personalization and user authentication
This is all delivered to the users over laptop or PDA thorough the Vodafone GPRS DATA SIM.
GPRS allows users to access corporate LAN on the move; run corporate applications , access company database & shared resources while maintaining corporate LAN security and confidentiality as information are encrypted while being transferred over the network.
Through GPRS field sales force could also work outside the office ,check on their inventory, or a customer order, or even put a purchase order, as long as they are using sales force automation over their handheld devices, connecting them to their offices databases.
This new service , which will be offered to the Egyptian corporate segment very soon , after being launched successfully in Europe last year, proved its cost efficiency. Statistics show that companies which used this service increased revenue, productivity by 3 hours per employee, and covered its cost during the 1st year of implementation.
This is just one of the many solutions offered though GPRS and which could be customized due to corporate needs. GPRS is now available to everyone while consumers and corporate segments are still expecting what technology will offer in the future and on the path from the 2.5 generation to the next generation.
-Ends-
Ola Loutfy
Public Relations Specialist
Vodafone Egypt
Tel :5292138
Fax :5292100
E-mail: Ola.Loutfi@vodafone.com.eg
© Press Release 2003
